


Hello, Little One

by herondick



Category: The Infernal Devices Series - Cassandra Clare
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-16
Updated: 2020-09-16
Packaged: 2021-03-07 19:15:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,185
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26502763
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/herondick/pseuds/herondick
Summary: One-shot of the day Jem Carstairs was born.
Relationships: Jem Carstairs/Tessa Gray, Jem Carstairs/Tessa Gray/Will Herondale, Jem Carstairs/Will Herondale, Tessa Gray/Will Herondale
Kudos: 13





	Hello, Little One

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: all characters belong to Cassandra Clare.

Shanghai, November 8, 1860

Muffled groans sounded throughout the bedroom. Jonah Carstairs was just waking up, blinking his eyes to adjust to the dark room. His wife, Wen Yu, was laying on her side beside him. Jonah rolled over and placed his hand on her very pregnant belly.

“What’s wrong, wǒ de ài?” Jonah asked, concern slowly creeping into his voice.

Wen Yu looked at him, her eyes dancing. “I think it’s time.”

Jonah gently grabbed her face and pulled her in for a kiss. He had fallen in love with her the moment he saw her walking down the street in the oxblood-colored gear of the Chinese Shadowhunters. She was visiting London then. He courted her, and they were married a little over a year after. She was the other half of his soul.

They had only been married a year when she came to him with the news that she was with child. Jonah was filled with a mixture of excitement, and a little fear. He had always dreamed of being a father, and now it was possible, all because of his beautiful wife.

“Are you sure it’s time? Do I need to call for the Silent Brothers?” he asked frantically. He slipped from the bed in search of his dressing gown.

“Yes, qīn'ài, it’s time. After you call the Brothers, can you come back and play the violin for me? I think it will calm me.” Wen Yu groaned softly again, her hands going to rest on her belly.

Jonah walked over to his wife and pressed a kiss to her forehead. He laid his hands on top of her own. “Anything for you. And you, my little one,” he said, leaning down to kiss her stomach.

An hour later, the Silent Brothers arrived at Ke House, his wife’s families’ ancestral home. He was in their bedroom playing his violin when they entered the room. They ushered him out, as it was not proper for a husband to see his wife in such a fragile state. Some of the other female Shadowhunters in the house stayed with her so she wouldn’t be alone, guiding her through the process of childbirth with soothing words and wet cloths to her forehead.

Jonah sat right by the door all night. Wen Yu was in labor for hours. Her groans turned into loud moans. Those eventually turned into screams. Every time he heard her screams through the door, he felt his heart break. Oh how I would do anything to be with her. To hold her hand, to let her know everything is okay, he thought.

A little after four in the morning, Jonah noticed the screaming had subsided. Instead he heard crying. A baby. His baby. Their baby.

He stood up and swung the bedroom door open, not caring what he saw on the other side. A small part of him was worried that he would be seeing his wife in a delicate state. He shouldn’t have worried.

Wen Yu was completely covered, well wrapped up by blankets. Her black hair had been braided, and it laid gently on the pillow. Her small face glistened with sweat, her dark eyes full of exhaustion but awake with delight.

In her arms was a small bundle, all wrapped up in the flame colored blanket that was gifted to them. Flame for the birth of a Nephilim. Jonah thought about the Shadowhunter nursery rhyme that had been taught to him as a child.

The two Silent Brothers and the servants nodded their head at him and left the room, leaving him alone with his new family. Jonah walked over to the bed and bent down over his wife and child.

“It’s a boy, Jonah. A perfect, healthy baby boy. Wǒ de érzi.” She looked up at him with tears in her eyes. The strongest woman I know, Jonah thought.

Jonah gently moved the blanket so he could get a better look. His son was sleeping peacefully, his tiny face calm. He had a small amount of black hair on his head. He was absolutely perfect.

“You did so well, my wife. So, so well. You are so strong, so amazing.” Jonah gloated on his wife proudly. Wen Yu blushed in response. “He’s so perfect.” He looked down at his son. “Hello there, little one. I’m your father.”

“He needs a name. I want him to have a Chinese name. So I was thinking, Jian. Ke Jian Ming.”

“That’s perfect, darling. But I was thinking. He should have an English name as well. How about James?”

“James Carstairs does have a nice ring to it,” Wen Yu said, smiling up at her husband.

Jonah leaned down and kissed his son’s tiny forehead. “Hello there, little one. I can’t wait to see you grow. To show you how to hold weapons and fight demons. How to play the violin. I can’t wait to be your father.”

Wen Yu pulled her husband in for a kiss, one that was full of love and passion. “Getting a little ahead of ourselves, are we?” She chuckled.

“I don’t think so. We have our entire lives to watch him and teach him and see him grow. Why not start looking forward to these things now?” Jonah replied.

Wen Yu kissed him again and pulled away with a smile. “I can’t wait to grow old with you, Jonah Carstairs. Wǒ yīshēng de zhì'ài.”

Jonah held his wife and son all night, looking forward to taking on his role as a father, and an even better husband.

A few hours later, Jonah was still awake. He had taken James out of his wife’s arms as her eyelids lowered with exhaustion. He was standing by the window of their bedroom, gazing out into the garden below.

James began to stir, a small cry escaping from his lips.

“Shh. Shh.” Jonah consoled him, gently rocking him. He began to hum a song he had been composing. “You must be getting hungry.”

It had been a few hours since he had been fed. However, Jonah was not yet ready to wake up his wife so she could feed him; she deserved some rest.

“Soon, my son. Soon,” Jonah whispered. James opened his eyes, his small dark brown eyes that he got from his mother. Jonah was filled with so much love and pride. Ke House was quiet. His wife was sleeping peacefully. His son was looking at him with complete trust. My family is so perfect.

“I promise to love you, always, James. My sweet boy. I will train you to be the warrior you need to be. I hope your life is filled with so much happiness and love. I will protect you every second, until the day I die. And maybe even after that.” James’ eyes slowly closed as he fell asleep. Jonah kissed his forehead, and stared out into the night.

Translations:

Wǒ de ài- my love

Qīn'ài- dear

Wǒ de érzi- my son

Wǒ yīshēng de zhì'ài- the love of my life

(I tried my best with the translations. I’m sorry if they aren’t perfect.)


End file.
